Excellent review

@Ichos
Oh no, please not again. Been selling and buying stuff a lot these past few months.

My bottom line is:
Should i sell my M11 Pro, Zen Da V2 & Topping A30Pro and investing in this?
Or keep any of them?

This is something that you have to answer for yourself depending on your needs.
BTW , which are your headphones?

Nothing too demanding: Senn HD 58X, Sundara, Meze 99 and some iems Kato, IKKO OH10, FH3, Thie L2

If you have balanced cables then it can drive all your collection with ease, including the Sundara.
So it's up to you to decide if you want to be minimal with a do it all device or you prefer desktop separates.

I really like the iFi iPower Elite but it is not a linear PSU, so u may want to clarify this bit of info

Just using the terminology of LPS to include all quality regulated power supplies with low noise.
iFi ipower Elite is not technically a LPS but it is an excellent low noise power supply , you don't need anything else.

I do not disagree that it’s great. I use it myself.

Yes I should probably edit and write something like "quality external power supplies, like a good LPS or the iFi Elite etc"

“DAT” = Digitlal Audio Tape a digital format/media created by Sony and Philips

Maybe you didn't understand the joke?
"DAT" = Digital Audio Transportable player instead of "DAP"= Digital Audio Player....

Nice review.
You mentioned that you used IE600 to test the M17.
I was considering purchasing it instead of the IE900.
I read that it is differently tuned to the rest of the IE line.
What's your opinion?

Seems like its good enough to replace pc, dac and desktop amp.

@jmwant

Yes, I believe that this is the strong marketing point of the M17.
To replace all desktop gear given that you don't have very difficult headphones.
Simplicity and minimalistic.


@fablestruck

I have reviewed both.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sennheiser-ie-900.25145/review/27027/

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sennheiser-ie-600.25733/review/28153/

TLDR; IE900 technically superior , IE600 different tuning and technically not that behind.
I seldomly give up my preferences but yes I prefer the IE600 , more natural timbre for classical music.

How does Ananda or Arya Stealth pair with M17?

I haven't tried the Ananda but the Arya Stealth is an excellent match.
Technical, musical with that ethereal character, hard hitting bass and pinpoint imaging.
I like it a lot.

@Ichos how would you rate the amplification section compared to desktop class AB or class A ones?
Some recent DAPs like HiBy R5 GEN2 are boasting class A amplification.

@asifur
This is a very generic question so we must establish a reference point so the comparison is apples to apples and oranges to oranges.
When comparing with high end DAPs that are already very powerful like the Cayin N8ii and iBasso DX300 the M17 under DC mode it still sounds with better control, more effortless, bigger and with spare headroom.
Of course different types of designs (A or AB or tube) will have slightly different sound qualities.
Switching to desktop gear it gets more complicated.
If we compare the M17 with similarly designed amplifiers, like for example the K9 Pro ESS which sports the exact same circuit then the performance is extremely close.
The K9 might have the slightest edge due to the better power supply but the M17 is so close and I guess that it can even get the same with an external LPS.

The same goes if we compare it with some op-amp based amplifiers like the SMSL SH-6 or some THX models.
Performance is very close and the M17 is very successfully bridging the gap.
But switching to some masterfully designed discreet amplifiers then the M17 is starting to show it's shortcomings.
Be it tube, class A or AB , a well designed desktop amplifier will always be better.
And don't think about something exotic or expensive.
Even the Vali 2+ can sound different (better?) than the M17.
But then the M17 is not designed to compete with desktop amplifiers.
As my review title is, it successfully bridges the gap between portable and desktop gear.